alantlee24210
Member
- Joined
- Aug 12, 2015
- Messages
- 2
Is it safe to carry a Colt Commander with a shell in the chamber and the hammer in the half-cock position?
No.
Chamber loaded?
Either carry it cocked & Locked.
Or lower the hammer all the way down against the rear of the slide.
All 1911 pistols use an inertia firing pin.
Meaning the FP is shorter then the hole in the slide.
The only way it can touch or fire a primer is if the hammer hits it going fast enough to drive it out of the slide far enough to reach the primer.
The hammer cannot hit the firing pin if it is already resting against the slide.
From half-cock, it can hit the firing pin if you drop the gun on the hammer, and the sear or safety notch break.
Recommended is Loaded, Cocked, and Locked.
Alternative = Loaded, hammer fully down against the slide.
(But then you run a risk lowering the hammer, and cocking it again.)
Cocked & Locked.
The grip safety tang protects the hammer spur from impact.
And the thumb & grip safety prevent the gun from firing unless you are holding it properly, take the thumb safety off, and pull the trigger.
rc
One of the best explanations and demonstrations I've seen on the matter.This video may be helpful https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2-1IZk1A28
It is not significant to Condition 2. Without a firing pin block the issue is possible in either Condition 1 or Condition 2.BUT... if you don't have a firing pin block (Series 80 mechanism on Colts or Swartz mechanism on Kimbers) or a low mass firing pin (usually Titanium), Condition 2 can result in an accidental discharge if you drop the gun straight down on it's barrel, as the inertia of the firing pin can pop the loaded round.
My understanding is that this is exactly why many 1911's can't be sold in CA, as they don't pass their stringent drop test requirements.
Thanks 1911Tuner for posting above photo... 1st time I've seen one w/out the safety. What you say makes tons of sense.The captive half cock notch is a safety, by design and intent. In function, it's identical to Browning's other half cock safeties on his guns that only had the half cock as a safety. The Model 1894 Winchester is one example.
Additionally, the half cock is described as the "Safety Position" in the 1910 patents, along with instruction for lowering the hammer to that position with one hand.
1910 Colt photo courtesy of Charles Clawson.